When Gerhard Schug decided to end his life in 2020 it was an experience that changed him forever.

For five days he was seriously ill in a coma and during that time he believes he saw hell. He claims he was standing next to the devil as he saw souls being sorted and ground to a pulp.

He said: ‘In my near-death experience, I didn’t pass into a bright light nor did I pass into an afterlife where everything is beautiful.” Indeed, it was quite the opposite.

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Following the death of his beloved younger daughter in 2019, Gerhard felt deeply alone. He was already very ill with a spine injury, Parkinson’s, and lung disease. He had previously recovered from a heart attack and he was diagnosed with bipolar, depression, and borderline personality disorder.

In 2020, he “didn’t want to go on anymore.” The father told Thanatos TV EN: “On that day and even in the days before I had become increasingly melancholic. On the day I felt an overwhelming longing for my eldest daughter Tanja who passed away in 2019. My youngest daughter and I found her dead in her flat.

“I missed her so badly. I didn’t want to live anymore, and in that moment, I felt abandoned and lonely. Tanja and I had a very close relationship.”

Tanja died of pulmonary embolism – she had to have regular thrombosis injections and Gerhard suspected she had stopped taking them.

The months before his suicide attempt, Gerhard had committed himself to a life of self isolation.

He said: “My weight went up to 150 kilos and I shut myself away. The blinds in my flat were all down. I lived alone and I only went out when needed to buy something, mainly bought chocolate and beer. I withdrew and shut myself off. The pain was just too much.

“I was living on the second floor of a building with my collection of diseases -it was a disaster and it was clear I couldn’t live like this anymore.

“I was prescribed medication – that contributed to my rapid and extreme weight gain and finally after two or three years I said I cant go on like this I have to lose weight.”

Gerhard banned sugar from his house before he was hospitalised for four weeks due to a virus. No one could visit him.

He said: “There was nothing in particular that led to suicide. It was an overwhelming feeling of loneliness and a need to be with my deceased daughter.

“My younger daughter and I love each other very much but she has her own life – but at the time I felt she didn’t have enough time for me – she had her own life but I would like to have more of her company. Today I see things differently than I did then.”

“I was convinced that there was life after death.”

He added: “I came to in the hospital’s intensive care unit. My daughter was also there and then I became aware of my near death experience. When I woke up it burned itself into my memory.

“I remember it all very clearly – it i must preface this by saying – the doctor told my daughter I would most likely not survive and if I did, I would likely suffer severe brain damage.”

However, Gerhard did survive, and lived to tell the horrifying tale of what he saw. He said: “There was a palace made of stone, grey and large with a high canopy roof like those found in China or Japan and there was a throne.

“It was a flat throne without a back rest – which looked like a block of stone and the devil was sitting on it. He looked down from above over a jetty that ran into the sea where boats were moored on the left and right – old boats that also looked Japanese. These boats were moored there and then the souls were brought to the devil.

“They got out of the boats and then they were brought to him. The palace was open and at the bottom of the palace there were 4 large stones that looked like lion’s claws. They turned and it made a terrible creaking noise – it was very loud and very intense.”

Gerhard said he was raised Catholic, and wondered if this influenced his near-death experience.

He added: “In any case- I saw the devil – it was hot there – he had horns indeed how you might imagine a typical devil. After a while I realised there was a selection being made of the souls brought to him.

“Some were put into a funnel and ground up under the lions’ claws. This created a terrible creaking noise. The whole situation was terrifying – I was scared to death.

“I felt like I was right the middle of it – I sat next to the devil and saw everything. But I wasn’t afraid of being in there – I was afraid because of the people being ground up.

“I know there are people who say that is delirium or withdrawal symptoms, but I know I was there and that’s what happens to me.”

When he woke up – his entire perspective on life had changed. He said: “It was clear to me that God had given me life – I am not Catholic but I believe in God.

“I had the certainty then that God had given me life and I did not have the right to take my own life against him. Because if I do that, I’ll end up exactly where I don’t want to be – namely not with my daughter but in hell.”

Gerhard said he felt as though the experience in hell lasted 5 or 6 days – the entire length of his coma. Now he lives his life “glass half full” and says when God decides its time for him to go he’ll go.

Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK